Australia and the Netherlands have launched joint legal proceedings at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) against Russia over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
In separate statements released on March 14, the governments of the two countries claimed Russia was responsible under international law for a missile strike that brought down the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur passenger flight over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board.
"Today’s joint action by Australia and the Netherlands is a major step forward in both countries’ fight for truth, justice, and accountability for this horrific act of violence, which claimed the lives of 298 victims, 38 of whom called Australia home," the Australian government statement said.
In its statement, the Dutch government said Russia's ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine was not connected to the launching of the case, but added that the current events "underscore the vital importance" of ensuring justice is served.
"The government will continue to do everything in its power to call Russia to account for the downing of flight MH17 and to uphold the international legal order," Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said.
"We cannot and will not allow the death of 298 people, including 196 Dutch nationals, to go unanswered," it added.
Despite compelling evidence, Russia denies providing military assistance to separatist forces in parts of eastern Ukraine that have waged war against Kyiv since April 2014. More than 13,200 people have been killed in the conflict.
In 2016, an international Joint Investigation Team (JIT) determined that MH17 was shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft system that had been brought to Ukraine from Russia the same day and which returned to Russia -- minus one missile -- after the jet was shot down.
The JIT later determined that the Buk had been provided by the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade based in Kursk.
Since 2020, four people -- three Russians and a Ukrainian -- have been on trial in absentia in the Netherlands for their alleged roles in the MH17 downing. Dutch prosecutors in December asked the court to hand down life sentences to all the defendants.
